4 tips to market your freelance business in a gig economy

In today’s gig economy, the average freelancer cannot afford the luxury of paid advertising, let alone compete with the established business that can. But marketing a freelance or small business might be easier than most people think.

As a freelancer, you have a personal touch that only you can boast. Here are four simple tips to market yourself as a freelancer in today’s gig economy.

1. Develop your brand

What makes you stand out from other freelancers in your market? Developing your brand is an important first step in marketing, and it could mean the difference between you and your competition. It is important to grab the attention of potential clients and maintain it.

Creating your brand is an ongoing process, and you may have different iterations of your business’s brand before settling on the right one. Once established, be sure to keep it consistent across your logo, website, social media, and email. Don’t forget to consider your brand’s written language and tone as well. Is your language short and striking, or witty and funny, or both? Be sure that you understand what kind of image you want to project and then work on perfecting it.

Before you move forward with an iteration of your personal freelance brand, be sure to test it out –– what may look great to you may not be as appealing to others. Ask friends and family, or request feedback through a social media post. Find a look and feel that reflects your style but is relatable and attracts the gaze of others.

2. Tell your story

Get people interested in what you do and share your journey with the world. Freelancing can be unconventional and courageous, so tell your story as you learn how it’s done. Create a blog or website containing stories about your work and how you are learning to hone your craft. Creating a website is a great way to create strong SEO impact and build a strong relationship with your audience beyond the great work you do.

Publishing your story online can be an enormous incentive to continue outperforming yourself –– you can look back and see how far you’ve come. Additionally, it is great publicity for potential clients to have access to stories, portfolios, and photos of your past work.

3. Take advantage of technology

There are endless digital tools out there to help you increase your target audience. Social media apps like Instagram are a great way to reach potential clients. Create an account for your small business and start following local businesses, organizations, and even other freelancers. Stay active with posts about your work and you may find yourself with a direct message from someone interested in your services!

Use freelancer apps and online marketplaces like Moonlighting to reach more people. Moonlighting is a mobile and web app that provides freelancers with the tools to grow their dream business. Create a profile, post a service, and let the clients come to you. Moonlighting makes it easy to list your skills so potential clients can find you quickly and easily. Moonlighting also offers a robust toolset that includes chat, invoicing, and affordable premium advertising services.

4. Ask for reviews and referrals

Reviews help potential clients understand the quality of your work. With several reviews on your website or online profile, a potential client will see that other people have hired you and have been satisfied with your work. Once you have established and maintained relationships with various clients, reach out and ask for a review or testimonial.

Your best clients can become your best spokespersons, and word of mouth is a great way to spread the word about the work you do. Don’t be afraid to send along an email template to your current clients to make referring you quick and easy or offer a discount for referrals

Are you ready to market your freelance or small business? No matter what path you want to take, you can join the amazing community of freelancers, entrepreneurs, and gig workers changing how America works by signing up for Moonlighting today!

Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA Today Network were not involved in the creation of this content.